The BJPparliamentary board will meet in the next couple of days to announce its candidate, with sources saying the party had agreed that an active political figure should assume the highest chair in the country.

"Paswan went to London for his treatment, and we all were waiting for him to come back".

"The decision will be taken soon and the name of the Presidential candidate will be announced before June 23", Naidu told media here. Mr Shah said had any name been cited, the opposition would have complained that the government has already made up its mind.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Naidu on Friday met Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders D. Raja and Sudhakar Reddy at the latter's party office over presidential elections.

The nomination is expected to be submitted on June 23 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present for the submission before he departs for the USA the next day.

BJP chief Amit Shah met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Sunday, and Thackeray said his party will take a call only after the name of the candidate is decided. They only wanted a "consensus candidate" asking who would be best suited. "We are friendly with the Centre, but not in alliance with anyone".

The saffron party has maintained a unusual secrecy over the choice of its candidate, baffling not just the Opposition but also some allies. SP members are understood to have expressed preference for a politician as President.

If the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition fail to reach an agreement with regards to a common candidate, polling will be held for the election of the next President on July 17, with the individual nominations facing each other. The nomination process will close on June 28.